Good People

All posts tagged Good People

Why do bad things happen to good people? This is a question that has been asked so many times, in so many situations, and in so many different forms. Sometime we may also ask why do good things happen to bad people.

But is there really an answer to this question? In Feng Shui and Taoism the answer lies in your chart and in fate, and in Buddhism the answer lies in karma. But are these really answers?

I raise this question now because I was asked this question a few days ago. And unlike before I have an immediate answer and the answer would be karma. But sometimes that in itself is a cruel answer.

Because of the sensitivity and involvement of a high profile family, I will not be able to share a lot of details about them. But basically I’ve yet to meet a person who has to say something about this family. From the Patriarch down to the grandchildren, people only have good words for them and my own personal experience with them, although they are really rich to the level of owning private learjets, several buildings, and hectares and hectares of properties, politicians even ‘bow’ to them, they remain to be the most humble and kindest people I’ve ever met, especially the patriarch. Words will not be able to describe how rich they are, but words won’t be able to describe also how nice, kind, and compassionate the whole family is especially the patriarch and the matriarch. Their staffs are relaxed around them but always give them the utmost respect and love.

I’m sharing this because I want you to understand how rich and how nice they are. They’re simply one of the best people you’ll ever meet in this world. And while they’re really rich, they always use their money to help better the lives of other people, but what’s even amazing is that they don’t only use their money to help, they also give themselves to help people. They would devote their time and knowledge and get physically involve in helping people. When they help they really help giving a part of themselves in the process, they don’t just send money.

Then tragedy struck, one of the grandchildren had an accident, was hospitalized for a few days and then eventually passed away.

While they’re technically not Buddhist, they believe in Buddhism, and the first question they have in their mind is why did this tragedy struck their family and why did it happen to a very healthy young man. Somebody else ask the question as to whether the goodness, the kindness, the generosity of the patriarch is not enough for him to go through the pain of losing a grandson!

Well, I can go on and discuss karma, collective karma, and how it is much more difficult to cure and avoid collective karma, but can I? Should I even attempt?

According to BM, my reader and friend, who have been featured in this blog several times, there are things that are not meant to be answered. Is she right about this? Do I agree with her? I personally saw the goodness of this family, and in fact BM said I’m so blessed to have met people like them, especially somebody like the patriarch and matriarch of this family, and so when this tragedy struck I personally saw their pain and although I went there to lend a helping hand, at one time I broke down and cried with them, they don’t deserve the pain that they experienced and is experiencing. But why do bad things happen to good people?

Karma… But then I really don’t know. I’m sure there’s a valid explanation somewhere but right now I don’t have it. And so with all humility after giving it much thought, I have to accept what BM said. SOME THINGS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE ANSWERED. Maybe there are questions that are not meant to be asked.

I called my Guru Lama and posed the same questions, and surprisingly, or maybe not, he said the same thing. SOME QUESTIONS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE ANSWERED, but then he clarifies, SOME QUESTIONS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE ANSWERED OUTWARDLY, SOME QUESTIONS ARE NOT MEANT TO BE ANSWERED BY RELIGION OR BY SCIENCE, THERE ARE QUESTIONS THAT CAN ONLY BE ANSWERED WITHIN. He clarified that although karma plays a very important role in our lives, it’s never black and white, a short life doesn’t mean bad karma or long one does not necessarily mean bad karma, but he said everything has a good answer from within. Sometimes we have to look for the answers, the lesson from within.

This still doesn’t answer the question as to why bad things happen to good people, but as BM and my Guru Lama said there are questions that are not meant to be answered. But that doesn’t mean that we should stop learning the lesson that can be found from within.

Why bad things happen to good people? This is perhaps one of the most common questions that people ask me. Most recently a relative asked me this question also. In fact, in a lot of my emails or conversations with readers, especially lately where a lot of people has been requesting for what is the most powerful Buddhist amulet called Vajrapani Ruel, which in such a short time has enjoyed several personal testimonies like how a 47 – year – old single mother got the much needed financial help (VAJRAPANI RULE STORIES 4) and how a man got his land back after a 20 – year – old legal battle (VAJRAPANI RUEL STORIES 2), this is the question that people asked. It may come in different various statements, but at the end that is the most common question: WHY BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?

The truth is there is no clear answer as to why this happen, but if you ask Buddhist monks, they all have similar answers. Buddhist monks will always tell you that if bad things happen to you, all you have to realized is that…

This is my karma.

I’ve repaid my karma.

It’ time to create new karma.

Also, I believe that all of us have to remember that not all bad things are bad, and not all good things are good. For example, you are healthy and rich, and you have so many wonderful friends that surround you. That is good, right?

Before you answer, let me continue. Then all of a sudden you got really sick, you have to be hospitalized and you started to lose your money and your friends. All of a sudden you are not very rich anymore. That is bad, right?

But, because of this, you begin to be more appreciative of the simple things, and most of all, you used to have (hypothetically) you have 1,000 friends before and that number is now down to a single true friend. Is that good or bad?

I’d like to keep this post short and sweet and most of all straight to the point. With all the bad things happening in our world, with all the kidnappings, hold-ups, robbery, rape, abuse going on around it’s easy to forget that good things and good dedicated people still exist.

This past few days, there are a lot of these stories dominated the web. Allow me to share some of them here.

First, is the story of a man in quest of getting a ‘no’ from the favor or request that he asks for. However, on his 3rd attempt he failed miserably in getting a no because a Krispy Kreme staff made sure that she goes out of her way to give him what he wants. Read the story here.

The next story is plain and simple heart warming. It’s about tough man, a policeman doing one of the most heartwarming deed and selfless act one can do. Read about his story here.

Lastly, while it’s not about a selfless act, it’s about how it’s easy for us to give up on doing something, but the story shows that with perseverance and friendship one can go beyond expectations. Read it here.